Interference mitigation for a satellite network
First Claim
1. A method for mitigating interference generated by one or more communications satellites within a constellation of communications satellites, wherein each satellite has an antenna configured to provide multiple beams, the method comprising:
- determining that, during a period of time, at least a first portion of a first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least a second portion of a second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint; and
as a consequence of determining that, during the period of time, at least the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint, causing;
one or more of the first satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be off during the period of time, andone or more of the second satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be on during the period of time.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In one implementation, interference generated by a constellation of satellites is mitigated. Each satellite is configured to provide multiple beams that define a coverage footprint. Anticipated positions are determined for satellites. Based on the anticipated positions, a determination is made that, during a defined period of time, portions of a coverage footprint for a first satellite will be covered by coverage footprints for other satellites. Based on this, a beam assignment for the first satellite is defined in which a first subset of beams configured to provide coverage of a first portion of the first coverage footprint are inactive, and a beam assignment for a second satellite is defined in which a second subset of beams are active, where the second subset of beams provide coverage within the first portion of the first coverage footprint.
27 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for mitigating interference generated by one or more communications satellites within a constellation of communications satellites, wherein each satellite has an antenna configured to provide multiple beams, the method comprising:
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determining that, during a period of time, at least a first portion of a first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least a second portion of a second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint; and as a consequence of determining that, during the period of time, at least the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint, causing; one or more of the first satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be off during the period of time, and one or more of the second satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be on during the period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for managing communications satellites within a constellation of communications satellites configured to mitigate interference generated by one or more of the satellites, wherein each satellite has an antenna configured to provide multiple beams, the system comprising:
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one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to; determine that, during a period of time, at least a first portion of a first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least a second portion of a second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint; and as a consequence of determining that, during the period of time, at least the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint will overlap with at least the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint, cause; one or more of the first satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the first portion of the first satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be off during the period of time, and one or more of the second satellite'"'"'s beams configured to provide coverage within the second portion of the second satellite'"'"'s coverage footprint during the period of time to be on during the period of time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification